Page 6 of Marked for Execution

Gunner pulled into a field a few paces from what looked like an abandoned old-town style shopping center. Once we all parked, I whistled for everyone to get the fuck out and keep their eyes open. Everything appeared quiet; the only sound to be heard was the rustling of trees behind us. Cars looked to have already been looted and broken into.

“Eliseo! There were three houses in this area the last time I scouted,” Reed hollered at me.

Without looking at him, I tipped my head in acknowledgement and led my group, Team A, toward the shop in front of us.

“If you see any extra backpacks or bags, grab ‘em.”

Samuel passed the message to the others as I lifted my shotgun and began to clear out the first store. A few of the guys looked through cabinets and drawers while Samuel and I continued toward the back.

“Clear.” I lowered my gun and headed back to the front of the store.

“Anything?” Samuel asked.

“I found a container of seasoning.”

“Grab it and let’s go,” I instructed as I headed out the front door. We needed to keep on a steady timetable.

Samuel cleared the next building, but it was so ransacked it wasn’t worth our time to even try. Crossing the street, the next store looked more promising. Once cleared, we all start combing through all the shelves and walls.

“Got some pain killer.”

“Good. Keep looking.”

“Shit, half a box of ammo.”

Maybe luckwaswith us after all.

BOOM!A loud crash against the brick wall of the store shut us all up. Brick and broken pieces of cement came at us like shrapnel. We dived behind the counter as the dust obscured our vision and clogged our nostrils. Waving my hand in front of my face, I looked around the room to do a head count, when two extra bodies emerged from the gravel.

It looked like a sight from hell, skin boiling and sizzling as they growled at each other. They threw fists and grappled like two mad men; the only difference was the strength they showcased with each blow. It was incomprehensible—it was inhuman.Bloodsuckers—Vampires.The fact that their skin sizzled in the daylight only reiterated what I already knew.

As I low-crawled around the counter, I caught Samuel behind one of the shelves still standing. I flicked my fingers and wrist to catch his attention. He nodded when he saw me direct him toward me. We’d bust a hole out the back wall if we had to, but I thought I remembered catching sight of a handle to a back door.

BOOM!One of the vampires lunged at the other again, knocking them through another part of the wall. More dust and debris flew but I used it to my advantage as concealment. Crouching low and covering my nose with my arm, I walked around and gathered my men, shoving them behind the counter. I could hear Samuel leading them to the back room when I realized we were missing one.Where’s the kid?

The sound of rustling under one of the fallen shelves caught my attention. A hand clawed at the ground, and I quickly grabbed it and pulled.

We both coughed and sputtered as the two vampires outside continued to slam into each other, knocking more store walls down. Some debris hit my left eye, but all I could do was shut it while I held onto the kid.

The sound of a crunch made my heart skip a beat, followed by the groans of a man in throes of passion, or from feeding. I’d heard it once before and I’d never forget it. It was burned into my memories.

I shook my head and dislodged the past.Fuck, there’s no time for this. I pulled the kid out again with all my might; he finally broke free, and I bent down and tossed him over my shoulder.Damn, does this kid not eat, or what?He was lighter than I expected.

He coughed against my back as I jumped over broken pieces of wood and concrete. As I ran toward the back, a growl broke my concentration. It sounded too fucking close, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end.This would go to sh—

Something slammed into me and took us both down, right into the back wall with athud. The wind was knocked out of me, but the only thing I could think about was the damn kid.Fuck!

“Seems I came at just the right time. I’m getting a little fuckinghungry.”

The guttural sound of his voice made me clench my fist. I fuckinghatedvampires. They were the bane of my damn existence in a place where survival was hard enough.

“I think you’ve got the wrong fuckin’ buffet.” I turned around and stared at the creature before me. He still looked human, but everything about him was justwrong.

He was shaded by the roof of the store, but it didn't hide his blistering skin that had begun to heal in front of my very eyes. He smelled like burnt hotdogs, and it made me want to gag. I’d never see the meat the same again, not after this. Half of his hair was singed off from the contact with the sun. He had to be a new vampire; his actions were too erratic. They didn’t usually come out in the light of day. His nostrils flared, and my body tensed in anticipation. This shit life kept me in survival mode 24/7, even at the age of fifty.

The asshole in front of me bared his teeth and lunged, but I dodged just in time to bring my elbow down on his back and roll away. The pistol was still strapped to my waist, and I grabbed it, letting off a few rounds. He moved quickly, making me think I didn’t hit my target, when he landed right on top of me with his hands around my neck.

“On the contrary,human. That last vampire filled me up pretty well. You, on the other hand, can serve a different purpose.”